Personal and Human Tragedy in Akhmatova’s Poem “Requiem”
Oxana Sinitsa
Professor Schneider
ENGWR 301 3:00-4:20 T/TH
April 26, 2012
Research Paper
Word Count: 3014
Question # 5
Personal and human tragedy in Akhmatova’s poem “Requiem”
In the history of Russian poetry, 20 century was unique time. At that time, many young poets, who were talented and searching for new original ways, entered into literature. The passion for poetry had the mass character, approximately as the computer technology or sports now. But only some of them became a cult figure and had the innovative approach to creation of new themes and images. Anna Akhmatova is one of few names of Russian poetry of 20 century who is noted in decades by an invariance of the reader 's likings in spite of the fact that revolutionary shocks and social and historical events of these years were capable to bury irrevocably this lyrical voice into oblivion. But her voice has displayed its strength most strongly than those who tried to suppress it and moreover, it not only sounded then, but also now Akhmatova’s voice reflects in souls of her readers.
The future poetess was born in the family of the retired naval engineer Andrey Gorenko on June, 23rd 1889 “in a small cottage on the seashore in Bolshoy Fontan near Odessa.” (Reeder 1) “Moving north eleven months after Anna’s birth, the Gorenko settled in Tsarskoye Selo, the czar’s village, where Anna spent most of her childhood.” (Becerra)This beautiful place was a cradle of her wonderful poems and verses and became a foundation of her creativeness. Akhmatova wrote the first poem when she was eleven years old, and created about two hundred of them in her maidenly years (McNaughton 9). However, her childhood was not a very happy one because of the disharmony between her parents who separated in 1905. “The insecurity of her childhood may have accounted for her own difficulties in her relationship with the men she later lived with.”(Reeder 2) Also, her father did not approve her daughter’s choice to become the poetess and
Professor Schneider
ENGWR 301 3:00-4:20 T/TH
April 26, 2012
Research Paper
Word Count: 3014
Question # 5
Personal and human tragedy in Akhmatova’s poem “Requiem”
In the history of Russian poetry, 20 century was unique time. At that time, many young poets, who were talented and searching for new original ways, entered into literature. The passion for poetry had the mass character, approximately as the computer technology or sports now. But only some of them became a cult figure and had the innovative approach to creation of new themes and images. Anna Akhmatova is one of few names of Russian poetry of 20 century who is noted in decades by an invariance of the reader 's likings in spite of the fact that revolutionary shocks and social and historical events of these years were capable to bury irrevocably this lyrical voice into oblivion. But her voice has displayed its strength most strongly than those who tried to suppress it and moreover, it not only sounded then, but also now Akhmatova’s voice reflects in souls of her readers.
The future poetess was born in the family of the retired naval engineer Andrey Gorenko on June, 23rd 1889 “in a small cottage on the seashore in Bolshoy Fontan near Odessa.” (Reeder 1) “Moving north eleven months after Anna’s birth, the Gorenko settled in Tsarskoye Selo, the czar’s village, where Anna spent most of her childhood.” (Becerra)This beautiful place was a cradle of her wonderful poems and verses and became a foundation of her creativeness. Akhmatova wrote the first poem when she was eleven years old, and created about two hundred of them in her maidenly years (McNaughton 9). However, her childhood was not a very happy one because of the disharmony between her parents who separated in 1905. “The insecurity of her childhood may have accounted for her own difficulties in her relationship with the men she later lived with.”(Reeder 2) Also, her father did not approve her daughter’s choice to become the poetess and
Cited: Becerra, Cynthia S. Anna Akhmatova. Magill’s Survey of World Literature, Revised Edition January 2009: 1-5. Print Earnshaw, Doris. Rekviem: The Complete Poems of Anna Akhmatova. Masterplots II: Poetry Series, March 1992: 1-2. Print Katz, Boris. To What Extent is Requiem a Requiem? Unheard Female Voices in Anna Akhmatova 's Requiem. Russian Review, April 1998: 253-264. Print Lenore Mayhew and William McNaughton. Anna Akhmatova: Poem Without A Hero and Selected Poems. Oberlin College, 1989. Print Mihailovich, Vasa. Anna Akhmatova. Critical Survey of Poetry. Second Revised Edition, September 2002: 1-5. Print Reeder, Roberta. Anna Akhmatova: Poet and Prophet. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1994. Print Simon, John. Anna Akhmatova. Foundation for Cultural Reviews, Inc. New Criterion, May 1994: 29-40. Print